


I’d Choose You

by Anita



Category: Takarazuka Revue RPF
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, F/F, Ferris Wheels, Getting Together, Meddling, Pokemon References, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Senpai-Kouhai Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-11
Updated: 2015-04-11
Packaged: 2018-03-22 09:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3723991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anita/pseuds/Anita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mayu feels bothered when everyone mistakes for love Rei’s overly expressed admiration for her. Because love might be exactly what she feels for Rei…</p>
            </blockquote>





	I’d Choose You

**Author's Note:**

> Story written for the Secret Coconut, a fic exchange promoted by the community Saint Seiya Super Fics Journal.
> 
> For AWickedMan.

Upon arriving, she rushed to the closest bush and kept walking in circles. The biggest problem was avoiding other encounters; it really stressed her knowing from the first blink that it wouldn’t be the one Mayo wished to see the most.  
   
And it finally came. There they were, face to face. Sucking her upper lip into her mouth, she was careful while choosing the right attack. There wasn’t much to do, but she needed to tire it enough. Her heart beat fast and she kept forgetting to breathe with each special move chosen.  
   
“Now!” she said out loud, while pressing the “use” button for the Repeat Ball. But it didn’t work. “Now!” repeating the same gesture, she sent another and another and another ball. Finally, the ball stood still in the screen.  
   
“Gotcha!” was written to indicate the Pokémon had been captured at last.  
   
Before she could even ascertain the challenge had been really conquered, however, her whole body was pushed against something warm in too tight an embrace.  
   
“I knew you were my girl!”  
   
“It... wasn’t much...” Mayo tried to free herself from Yuzuka Rei’s hold, thankful the Nintendo DS she had on her hands hadn’t fallen due to the surprise attack.  
   
After years of not playing any Pokémon games, it hadn’t exactly felt refreshing to capture a rare one Rei kept complaining about not finding. But she had just been bored and then lucky, it wasn’t really deserving of so much.  
   
Mayo gave her back the device and fixed her hair for a moment to hide her awkwardness.  
   
“But you rocked! Really! I still don’t know what you did...”  
   
“Well, I just followed what you told me: look for it, capture it. Nothing much...” she tried to repeat but the smile on her face probably already denounced just how proud she really felt of her accomplishment.  
   
“Nothing much? You were supreme! Love ya!” Rei insisted, now hitting her shoulder.  
   
“Hey, senior here, junior there.”  
   
“Oops, sorry. I’d better go with my group, Mayu-san should be here at any second.” She got up with her DS but still looked back. “I’ll call you next time I can’t capture a rare one!” Then, waved her hand before leaving with a broad smile.  
   
And, just like every time, Mayo caught herself smiling back simply because Rei looked like she was having too much fun.  
   
“I wish I had such a cute junior all over me...” someone said from behind her, who turned out to be Shiho. The others accompanying her didn’t hide they concurred.  
   
“Really, for the millionth time, that’s just the way she is! Why would she even look twice at me? If she really were into girls, there are at least a dozen here much cuter. And, if her thing were older _otokoyaku_... Isn’t like, Mayu-san, Kazuho-san, Mitsuru-san, Daimon-san, everyone much better in so many ways?”  
   
“Geez, Mayo, save the speech to those who haven’t heard it,” she answered.  
   
Atsushi came forward and added:  
   
“She’s totally got a crush, that’s not how we look at seniors. Even when they are very charming.”  
   
“Why do I even waste my energy?” Mayo rolled her eyes and got the script for their next play, _Fukkatsu_ , out of her bag. “I should be training my lines for the _shinkou,_ instead.” She shooed them with the thick volume.  
   
\---  
   
“Ooooh, I see!” Rei said, nodding for a couple of times before thanking Mayo again. After that, she left excitedly like always, while Mayo still smiled.  
   
The juniors can be so energetic about _shinkou_... This was supposed to be her last one, and she felt exhausted. Mayo couldn’t believe she wouldn’t have to stay until so late to rehearse after this show.  
   
“Why don’t you just read the lines with her?” Ran had just approached and looked curious over Mayo’s script.  
   
“With Rei? She has a bunch of friends for that!”  
   
“But her part is so big, she’ll appreciate your help.”  
   
“She was just here and never asked for it.”  
   
“Her not asking doesn’t mean she doesn’t need it.” Ran gave her a warm smile and then started pushing her in the other’s direction.  
   
“I really...”  
   
“It’s an order!”  
   
Surprised at Ran’s harsh command, Mayo followed suit. ‘Who is the senior here...?’ she thought in the middle of the way, before timidly greeting Rei once more.  
   
\---  
   
Sometimes, it felt like the whole troupe was whenever the two was together. And it wasn’t a secret from Mayo how they thought they should be a couple.  
   
Truth was that Rei seemed to really admire her in special but it is normal to think highly of someone - well, not when this was herself but... - Mayo also admired many of her seniors to some degree. She could still remember when Haruno Sumire had still been in Takarazuka, and she had the chance to spend her days with such an admirable person. If she had had that chance to be constantly close to her actual idols in the theater, she would also probably be misinterpreted. And that is exactly what is up with her own junior, for reasons she would always ignore, but it wasn’t for real love. Nope. Never.  
   
“Mayo-san!” Rion called her from the reverie, waving her hands. “We’re thinking of celebrating today’s _shinkou_ at a restaurant. What do you think?”  
   
“But we have to be here tomorrow, too...”  
   
“C’mon, we won’t be until late nor anything. Just dinner and that’s it!”  
   
Tilting her head, Mayo finally agreed. Without waiting for words, Rion went to the next group, Rei’s. Why was she thinking like that? There were people she was closer to, but everyone had been saying so much lately, she couldn’t help singling that one junior out.  
   
This was when she felt a soft pinch on her waist.  
   
“Instead of drooling, you should just take a chance!” Ran said, chuckling lightly.  
   
Conscious of how she was blushing, Mayo shook her head and hands many times.  
   
   “I was just observing Rion, nothing much!”  
   
“Really, why not just do it while the other party is showing so much interest?”  
   
“Ran-chan! I’ve already told everyone that it is not like that. Really, spreading rumors like that only hurts those involved. It’s not fun at all. And this is just the way Rei is, why don’t you ever get that?” Recognizing her own overreaction, Mayo tried to inhale and just cut the conversation with a retort: “You should just follow your own advice instead...”  
   
Before leaving, she still heard Ran’s enquiry about what she had meant, but Mayo decided to ignore it and continue to walk away.  
   
\---  
   
To Mayo’s dismay, Rei was the only one at the restaurant by the time she arrived. Even though they all had left together to the dorms, people still had managed to take that long to get ready? Trying to conceal the discomfort, she smiled to the takarasienne and sat at the long table.  
   
“I didn’t know how many we were but they said they can get more tables if we need,” Rei said apologetically.  
   
“It’s probably okay. I’m starting to think not everyone will come.”  
   
“I’ve just messaged my classmates and they said they’re on their way.”  
   
“Shiho just told me she won’t make it, though...” Mayo motioned to the cell phone in her hands.  
   
Continuing to show a wide smile, Rei decided to order for some tea, and Mayo did the same. It was a good way to keep her mouth occupied as an excuse for their obvious lack of topics.  
   
“But you were really great tonight!” After taking a sip, Rei started nodding to emphasize her compliment. Her gaze was also a little blurred, she wasn’t reviving the musical nor anything, right? “You were so charming!”  
   
“I’ve learned a lot from just watching Mayu-san.”  
   
“It is a pity this was the last one, I would have loved to see more of you. But congratulations on graduating!”  
   
“Well, there’s still Tokyo.”  
   
“Yes, yes! I can’t wait for it! My heart was beating so hard in your scenes...” And she kept describing the play, talking about her favorite moments and some flaws she had committed with her part despite all of the help she had got.  
   
When Mayo received a new message on her cell phone, she was surprised to notice more than half an hour had gone by since she her arrival. To think she had been troubled about what to talk to Rei, but it all seemed just too easy now, and anything could become a topic.  
   
“Anything happened?” Rei asked as Mayo read her incoming message.  
   
“Rion. She said they decided to cancel the dinner... What does she mean when we’re right here?”  
   
“ _What_? No one told me anything...” she said while pouting. “You’ll stay to eat, right?” This sounded like a pleaded and was following by large pitiful eyes.  
   
“Of course, don’t worry. We’re already here after all.”  
   
“Thank you, Mayo-san! I’m so glad I get to have dinner with my favorite girl!” She stopped talking as soon as she saw Mayo’s troubled expression and just displayed an awkward smile instead.  
   
\---  
   
It had been some days since that evening spent with Rei, and now Mayo caught herself once more observing the Takarasienne from afar. Talking to Ran. Why were they laughing so much? Were they even close? Ran had been her junior, they had lived in the same dorm for a whole year too; so it was very natural for them to talk but what about Rei? They couldn’t be talking about... Oh, no. Did Rei just look at her direction right now? Was it true then? She looked again, while Ran was laughing about someth... Someone! About her!  
   
Feeling a little light-headed, Mayo put her hands to her temples. If they were laughing at her, then it had to be about how much of a fool she had been after dinner that evening.  
   
After they had left the restaurant, they had gone to a convenience store on their way to the dorm. The conversation from before had flowed very well, so Mayo had been happy to delay their inevitable parting. The last few weeks had been too stressful, she wanted to fully enjoy the little fun she could have, and being with Rei was just too easy.  
   
After getting a popsicle, Mayo went to the cashier to pay, while Rei said she wanted to get something else first. So she went outside to have her snack and breathed in the cold. As soon as she heard the door sound behind her, she knew somehow it was Rei.  
   
“I love getting ice cream during winter!” she confessed, taking a bite.  
   
“Here!”  
   
A bread was put right in front of Mayo’s face. Puzzled, she looked back at Rei while absent-mindedly accepting the object.  
   
“Congratulations on your last _shinkou_!” The girl smiled at her, while opening her own popsicle.  
   
“Thank you but...”  
   
“I know, I know! There’s still Tokyo. You can take it as an appreciation for helping me with the game the other day, then.”  
   
So the bread being a Pokémon merchandise hadn’t been a coincidence after all, Mayo thought while trying to recognize any of the little colorful monsters printed on the plastic.  
   
“It even comes with a card!” Rei added, while devouring the ice cream in her hands.  
   
“Oh. He heh, thanks.”  
   
It was kind of cute how Rei seemed to be into that franchising. Mayo finally found a smiley Pikachu looking back at her from the top of the product name. When she finally looked back at Rei, the first thing she saw was a chocolate smudge right near her upper lip.  
   
What now? Unsure on whether she should let the other know, Mayo just kept staring until it was too late. This because Rei had stopped talking. She had caught her staring at her mouth! Forget all of the rumors, this was bad...  
   
Wait... Wasn’t Rei staring at her mouth as well? And she was getting close! Wh-what? Mayo panicked. Was she going to kiss her or something? Bring back the rumors: what!? Were they correct after all? Now Rei’s hand was moving toward her face. This was totally a kiss! They were going to kiss in front of a convenience store and she was so going to allow it... In response, Mayo tightened lips, slightly moisturizing them.  
   
“It’s just your chin,” Rei told her, pointing at a place on her own chin.  
   
After a few moments blinking, Mayo felt her cheeks burn and pulled a few centimeters away. As she tried to remove the dirt from her chin, she rebuked to the other girl:  
   
“You’ve also got one.” And repeated the other’s gesture, pointing to her lip, before starting to walk away.  
   
“ _Pi_ -chan!”  
   
Mayu’s voice brought her back from that evening right into their dressing room. The top star was standing a little to her left and looked at her with amusement.  
   
“Are you jealous?”  
   
“What?” Mayo asked, trying to fix her clothes and hair as if that were what she had been doing all along.  
   
“You kept staring at Ran-chan and Rei-chan,” Mayu said straight to the point.  
   
“Oh, yeah, yeah.” She rolled her eyes. “I was asking myself when they’d make their love more public, you know?”  
   
“What?” It was Mayu’s time to ask, not hiding her shock.  
   
Regretting the joke, Mayo confessed it and apologized:  
   
“I’m sorry, Mayu-san. I’m just kind of tired of this ongoing rumor about Rei and me. Also, I was thinking about the other evening, when no one came to our celebration for the _shinkou_. Maybe they are up to something.” After saying so, she noticed the top star wasn’t really supposed to be in that room. “Did you want to talk to me?”  
   
The woman flashed a big smile and put her hand to Mayo’s shoulder.  
   
“Could you come with me to Umeda? I really want to buy some boots, then I can treat you to a nice restaurant. You could use some fun, it seems.”  
   
\---  
   
“Thank you very much for treating me,” Mayo said while bowing to her top star.  
   
“It’s me who has to be grateful. You no only made me company but you’re also carrying all of my bags.”  
   
“You say all but it’s just two. It’s no big deal.” She smiled, glad to be of any help at all. “And that restaurant was really good indeed!”  
   
“That’s right, you’re into going around to eat. I’m very glad you liked.”  
   
It was already more than nine o’clock and Mayo knew they would soon have to go home for there was still all of the way back and the two had to be at the theater early the next day. Nonetheless, she still wanted to hang out with the other woman. At any time, it would be a pleasure per se. In addition to that, it was really helping take her mind off what had happened with Rei.  
   
In a corner of her mind, however, she was still thinking of the junior’s proximity to Ran. Only that morning, when they were enjoying themselves so much it had really bothered Mayo but, now that she thought back, probably since the day after that dinner the two had been hanging out. What if Ran had noticed that things would be easier with a younger woman and given up on Mayu? And now Rei had decided to complain to their _top musumeyaku_ about all of the hassle the rumors about Mayo and her had caused? And to talk about how Mayo had wanted to be kissed that night?  
   
“But she’s really cute, no?” Mayu’s voice brought her back to a conversation she had no idea about what.  
   
“I’m sorry, Mayu-san, I...”  
   
“Rei-chan! She seems to have taken on you.”  
   
“I’m sure it’s not like it, it’s just the way she is,” she answered, feeling more flustered than ever now she did have evidence.  
   
“The way she is with only you.” Showing a meaningful smile, the woman continued: “She looks to be very sure of herself but the truth is that she can be rather klutzy in demonstrating her feelings. As I was saying, very cute.”  
   
What upset Mayo the most in those conversations was the gap between the rumors and the reality she saw: Rei had avoided her kiss. Even if people went on proclaiming how much the younger girl was into her, there was nothing she could do but to contemplate a very desired yet unattainable wish.  
   
It was strange how, in the end, it was her who wanted Rei instead.  
   
“Looks are misleading...” she concluded out loud. After all, she liked deceiving herself that Rei was still a possibility.  
   
“How can you be sure without trying? You’re the oldest; just go for it!”  
   
“But, Mayu-san, you keep telling me this and what about Ran-chan? Is it okay to let her be?”  
   
The woman started giggling and gave her a push on her back.  
   
“Don’t say strange things, Pi-chan!”  
   
“But you two really like each other, no? And now she’s always with Rei...”  
   
“They’re just friends.”  
   
“They weren’t, really... up until few days ago.” After she had been rejected, Mayo mentally added.  
   
However a cell phone ring interrupted the two. Mayu picked up her device from her coat pocket and seemed to read a message. It was probably time to call it a day. Even though Mayo was preparing herself for such statement, the woman turned to her with a wide grin, and announced the opposite:  
   
“Why don’t we go to the ferris wheel?” she said whilst pointing to the sky, never hiding her excitement. Something was up.  
   
\---  
   
HEP Five was one of the most popular shopping malls in Osaka, but not only for the shops it contained. It had the best localization in the Umeda district and was often used as a point of reference being such a distinctive building - not that the others around it weren’t. And one of its trademarks was the giant red Ferris wheel on its roof.  
   
Being from Kanto, of course Mayo had gone there in the first opportunity she had had along with her classmates from the music school. Back then, it all had been a thrill but she wasn’t really sure this was the best idea right now. Of course, it would be a pleasure to spend that kind of time with her top star, whom she admired so dearly. Notwithstanding this, it was a very bad time to be in a couple’s place. At that time, all of the stores were already closed and people in the restaurants had started to head home. Even before arriving to the seventh floor, where the boarding took place, it was patent they were the only non-couple around.  
   
Hesitating on whether to point out the night time was a bad choice, Mayo kept following the woman. Until something caught her attention. Or someone. Or someones. Ran and Rei stood side by side near the line to board.  
   
“Ran-chan! Rei-chan!” Mayu hurried from her side toward the other two, while euphorically waving. “What a coincidence!”  
   
It was anything but a coincidence.  
   
Mayo’s stomach seemed to be burning as her heart beated louder by the second. Why was Rei all over that _musumeyaku_? Wasn’t she more into _otokoyaku_? It really consumed her how she had been changed after one measly blunder. And now the main object of the younger’s affection came to the opposite she represented herself. Right when realization had finally hit her, it was already that late?  
   
“We were jealous of you two hanging out, so we came to wallow together and have a girls’ day out here!” Ran explained excitedly.  
   
Picking her cell phone from her pocket, Mayu exhibited a photo attached to her latest incoming message.  
   
“This looks nothing like a girls’ day.”  
   
Bending her head had to avoid the flare, Mayo now tried to unsee that image. Lots of hearts made with some application surrounded the two in the picture, this was unmistakably a couple. Even the way Rei posed to manly and charming from right behind the timidly-snugging Ran. And the hearts. Why were there so many hearts?  
   
“We were just having fun, Mayu-san. You two were the ones cheating on us.” She laughed playfully, making it even harder for Mayo to unsee it. “So, you also came to ferris?”  
   
And now it all made sense. The message Mayu had just received before inviting her up there had probably been sent by Ran. And it had probably provoked the older woman to the point she came as fast as she could. Geez, talk about being oblivious. The two kept nagging about something that Mayo was now sure not to be there, while they kept passing by each other’s feelings.  
   
As Mayu only nodded very shyly in return, Mayu decided to do what couldn’t be done for herself and pushed her top star’s back with her two hands.  
   
“You two should go together, don’t you think, Rei?” She gave a not-so-inconspicuous wink to the other who ended up complying, though confused. Upon the timid reaction from the couple, Mayo still added: “It would break our troupe’s hearts in a million pieces if we got you cheating one another!”  
   
Ran finally laughed at this, and added:  
   
“My heart will always be Mayu-san’s!”  
   
Then, how could Mayu still not get that? And if it were so, Ran shouldn’t go after (another’s) girl the moment she saw the older woman with someone else!  
   
The truth was that Mayo had been so distraught trying to help the oblivious couple, she never noticed the consequences. Not until she was already sitting in the red gondola and came into eye contact with the person would ride with her. For what would surely seem like a decade.  
   
‘Dang!’ she thought while biting her lower lip. It was just too early for her heart to deal with those feelings. Despite not having been officially rejected, it felt just as if.  
   
“Wow, you really changed a ride with Mayu-san for one with me?” Rei laughed, while covering her mouth. “You’re really a great girl, there’s no way not to love you!”  
   
“I’m sorry, actually. It spoiled your ride with Ran. You two seemed to be having lots of fun.”  
   
“I still am, and I’m sure she’s the same.” She laughed once more, now bending slightly her body. “We’re all with our favorite girls now, after all.”  
   
It was now Mayo’s turn to laugh. She slapped Rei’s arm and said between the chuckles:  
   
“C’mon, can you get more cheesy!”  
   
Noticeably taken aback due to her behavior, Rei just smiled uncomfortably and nodded slowly. Great, now they would literally stay locked there without talking at all. Really, she needed some time away from that person before she could produce more damage.  
   
Her stomach hurt after a few more minutes in silence. Mayo still tried to look at the night view. She was in love. With her beloved one right to her side. In one of the most romantic spots in Osaka. Yet, she had never felt so lonely. When had these feelings become so bad? She just wanted to get out of there and run to her bed. Maybe hide in her blankets until she could wake up from that heartache.  
   
“Do you think we can see the theater from up here?” Rei asked in an obvious attempt to break the everlasting silence. Or perhaps because horror was starting to surface Mayo’s complexion?  
   
The younger girl went to the other end of the cabin and pressed her face against the glass, staying in that position for a long time.  
   
“Isn’t that the wrong direction?”  
   
“Of course not! I’m sure I can see like Juuso!”  
   
“And...”  
   
“Oh.” She laughed at her mistake, putting her hand to her head. “Silly me. Right what you could expect from my g...” After faltering for a moment, Rei pointed more to the south. “Oh, look, it’s Nanba over there!”  
   
Thanks to her sweet way to fill in the gap in the conversation, Mayo managed to survive. She felt exhausted from pretending to enjoy the night view when all she had seen was a blur of lights.  
   
Her legs were shaking as she got off the gondola, and the surrounds felt somewhat surreal.  
   
“Are you cold?” Rei asked with a wrinkle twitching on her face.  
   
“No!” she answered faster than intended, so she added: “No, I’m fine. Thank you.”  
   
But Rei’s eyes had already been caught by a not-that-surprising scene. Still, even Mayo held her breath the moment she noticed a familiar couple ahead secretly holding hands. Or they probably were for both had one of theirs inside the large pocket of Mayu’s coat.  
   
Cute! Mayo almost squealed upon that sight. Luckily, she realized Rei’s expression wasn’t of mere surprise but much more complex.  
   
“Wow, they made it...” the younger girl commented.  
   
“I’m sorry,” she said, without explaining her reasons. Rei didn’t ask either.  
   
\---  
   
After leaving HEP Five that night, she had gone back home sure she would have many troubles to sleep. In addition to and because of everything, she had treated herself to all of the sweets she could afford in the closest convenience store after all. And it had been the same shop from that fastidious night. More reason to dive in sugar.  
   
Despite her predictions, she hadn’t even finished half of the glucose when she simply lost consciousness. In the end, she woke up sitting all wrong on the floor, surrounded by candies and wrappings.  
Already inside the theater, Mayo rubbed her eyes and then her back. It was sore. And she still needed to hurry to the room where they were all supposed to meet that day, so the _kumichou_ could give them a message. Even though she had had more than enough sleep for that early meeting, her body hurt, her heart hurt, her belly hurt. The night before had been that much of a disaster.  
Well it could have been worse, she tried to reason. As much as it felt bad to be so relieved when Rei had seemed miserable, now Mayo didn’t have to worry about such a lovely person like Ran. Who knew Rei could turn to her once more? Preferably, with second intentions, this time.  
   
Taking a deep breath, Mayo finally stepped into the room. She gathered all of the energy she could and greeted everyone:  
   
“Good morning!”  
   
It wasn’t that she was late to deserve the stares greeting her back with few and weird “good mornings” in return. And not that she was so early as to most of her seniors not even be present yet. Was this a babies-only reunion or something? She frowned while slowly closing the door. Maybe she had made a mistake during the _shinkou_? But that had been so many days before... Or was it that so much had happened ever since that she was the only one who thought it to be history already?  
   
Trying to ignore the feeling that the girls seemed to be retreating farther into the room, Mayo skimmed the place for the _kumichou_. Nowhere. What? Finally, she spotted Shiho and started pacing in her direction. Her classmate had to give her a heads up if everyone already seemed to have a notion of what had occurred. However, the other girl soon went into the crowd, in the direction to the other door. Now she could notice that many of the girls were also in the annex room, looking through the window.  
   
What was this? A prank?  
   
Finally, the crowd dissipated as everyone walked to the annex for some reason Mayo still ignored, until a scene concealed in the middle of the many _takarasienne_ was revealed.  
   
Rei was kneeling on the floor with one leg. As soon as she seemed to confirm Mayo had found her, the younger girl showed her a smile and stretched her hand and tossed a red and white object in her direction. A ball? Examining it in her hands, she barely had time to remember the name of the _Poké-Ball_ before the girl started talking in a melodious, solemn tone:  
   
“Charmanders are red, Squirtles are blue. If you were a Pokemon, I'd choose _you_.”  
   
“R-Rei?”  
   
At the same time, “woo” could be heard from the other room, which made her blush even more than the scene before her.  
   
Trying to ignore the dryness in her throat, Mayo asked:  
   
“What is this, Rei?”  
   
At this, the other stood up and walked to her with an embarrassed smile:  
   
“This time I overdid with my confession, right? I even asked the _kumichou_ to...”  
   
“C-c-confession?” Mayo felt dumbstruck, her mouth agape.  
   
“It’s that, I’ve been trying to let you know, you know?” She scratched her head a couple of times for words. “You never seemed to notice or react. Like, I say I love you and you answer with something unrelated. So I thought that maybe I could make it Takarazuka style this time!”  
   
“With Pokémon?” Lifting her hand, she showed the ball she had been holding.  
   
“You’re angry? Wait, you didn’t want people to know you like it or something?”  
   
“I... like it?” And frowned slightly.  
   
“Well, you were even wearing a Pokémon band-aid the other day...”  
   
“What?” After thinking hard, something like it came to her mind. “You mean last month when I cut it with the script? It was just what I found in the convenience store. I didn't want to waste time looking for anything else.”  
   
After hearing it, Rei struck her forehead with her hand.  
   
“Dang!” Then giggled for a while. “It’s okay, sorry. I even found my old DS and made you waste time playing it.”  
   
“I’m...”  
   
“Don’t worry!” She motioned with her hands and forced a smile. “I’ll think of something better, it will be memorable!”  
   
Upon seeing the other girl turn back and start to walk away, Mayo tried to say anything but could only hold her by the clothes.  
   
“Think of _what_?” she could finally ask.  
   
“Another confession, I did it all wrong this time.”  
   
“Really, how can you be so silly?” Mayo rolled her eyes, pushing the others by the clothes.  
   
Finally, their lips met.  
   
It felt more like a crash as she stood on her tiptoes and miscalculated the distance. At the same time, it was like the best one could feel, in Mayo’s opinion. The warmth against her lips, the slight tremble, the tingle from the other’s breath coming to a sudden halt. And their eyes, one staring into the other.  
   
And the remembrance that they were not alone. Mayo parted from the kiss and tried to ignore the stares they were receiving from the annex room.  
   
“You said...” Rei swallowed, pausing for a moment to catch her breath, and tried once more: “You just said you had nothing to do with Pokémon!”  
   
“Yet, you were clear enough to catch this one here,” Mayo answered with a self-conscious smile.  
   
“Really? So... this time, really?”  
   
She nodded, while feeling her cheeks burn.  
   
“You know, yesterday I was shocked that Mayu-san and Ran-san could make things work so fast while you just kept feeling more and more irritated by me... Are you really sure?”  
   
“That’s why you were so serious yesterday?”  
   
“Of course! I had a whole confession to plan, a poem to write, people to convince...”  
   
“Then don’t go out with a girl if you want to confess your feelings to another!” Mayo punched Rei’s shoulder.  
   
Quickly, the younger caught her stretched arm and made it envelop her own neck, while clutching Mayo’s waist and pushing her back until their bodies were together. Finally, they kissed again for a long moment.  
   
“Wait, we can’t do this! Not in front of everyone!” Mayo complained, unable this time to get rid of Rei’s grip as their mouths were still touching.  
   
This time, Rei chuckled and said:  
   
“Gotcha!” Then closed her eyes and continued to ignore Mayo’s protests.  
   
THE END!  
   
Anita, 03/05/2013


End file.
